Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. (Jeremiah 1:5a)
Before I Was Born
Any account of my spiritual journey has to start at the very beginning—not just with my childhood, but before that. The Bible tells me that before God formed me in the womb, He knew me; before I was born, He set me apart (Jeremiah 1:5). Even more, He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). This truth humbles me. It reminds me that my story doesn’t begin with me seeking God—but with God, in His grace, setting His love on me long before I could ever respond to Him.
I was born in 1962 on the island of Cuba—a beautiful Caribbean nation rich in culture and history. But despite its natural beauty, life there was marked by deep unrest. In 1968, when I was just six years old, my family was forced to leave due to political and religious persecution. That experience—being uprooted and starting over—left a mark on me, even as a child.
It was my first encounter with the reality that this world is broken, and that faith often comes at a cost.
God, in His goodness, placed me in a family with loving parents and three wonderful sisters. My mom and dad were God-fearing Catholics whose reverence for God and commitment to their beliefs left a deep and lasting impression on me. For that, I am profoundly thankful. Because of their example, I never questioned the existence of God. In fact, I believed in Him—or at least in the idea of a higher power. To me, there was simply too much order, beauty, and intricacy in the universe for it all to be accidental. I was convinced that an intelligent designer had to be behind it all. But while I acknowledged God’s existence intellectually, I lived my life practically as though He didn’t exist. I didn’t see my need for a Savior. I didn’t grasp the weight of sin or the grace offered through Christ. Instead, I followed the desires of my heart wherever they led—regardless of the consequences or who might be hurt along the way. My life was centered around myself, not God, and I rarely paused to ask the deeper questions that truly matter.
Running on Empty
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
After graduating from high school, I joined the United States Marine Corps. My time in the Corps took me all over the world, but it also took me deeper into a life of self-indulgence. I drank heavily, lived for the weekend, and lusted after women without thought of commitment or consequence. It was a lifestyle that seemed exciting at first but left me empty in the end. It wasn’t until I came to the end of myself—crushed by life circumstances and brought to my knees—that everything began to change. In that place of emptiness and desperation, I started asking the deeper, more perplexing questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What is the purpose of life?
During that season of searching, God placed someone in my life who would play a key role in my journey—a dear friend, fellow Marine, and a committed follower of Christ. Every so often, my friend would invite me to church. Each time, I would politely decline. I wasn’t ready, and I didn’t think it was for me. But one day, after a difficult breakup and feeling especially down, I finally said yes to one of his invitations. I didn’t know it then, but that simple “yes” would change everything.
As I sat in that church service, something stirred inside me. The message wasn’t just words—it felt like God was speaking directly to my heart. For the first time, I saw the gospel clearly: I was a sinner in need of grace, and Jesus was the Savior I had been running from. From there, things began to change. Through more conversations with my friend, time in the Word, and the gentle work of the Holy Spirit, I came to believe that Jesus wasn’t just a historical figure or moral teacher—He was the Son of God who came to rescue me. He lived the perfect life I never could, died the death I deserved, and rose again so I could be made new. When I finally surrendered my life to Christ, the emptiness I had carried for so long was replaced with peace. The guilt and shame I had buried deep were met with grace and forgiveness. I no longer had to search for purpose—because I had found it in Him.